Hospitals in Lebanon were alerted after scores of nurses tested positive for coronavirus.

Newly recorded cases reached 86 within 24 hours, 30 of which were nurses from one hospital in Beirut. Nineteen of the cases were people who had arrived into the country.

The Lebanese government began implementing countrywide testing across medical staff on Sunday and instructed hospitals to be ready for an influx of COVID-19 patients.

The authorities closed two towns in southern Lebanon after a number of COVID-19 cases were recorded.

“What caused this rise in coronavirus cases during the past few days is the reopening of the country, whether with regard to expatriation or tourism,” said the Health Minister, Hassan Hammad.

The total number of cases in Lebanon has now reached 2,168.